Pressure Vessel

Abstract

A pressure vessel includes: two housing-flange segments extending from axially-opposite end portions of a housing segment, respectively; a diaphragm segment disposed in the housing segment, having axially-opposite end portions; two diaphragm-flange segments extending from the end portions of the diaphragm segment, respectively; and two water fitting units each having a fitting-flange segment that cooperates with an adjacent one of the housing-flange segments to clamp an adjacent one of the diaphragm-flange segments therebetween, and fluidly communicating a water chamber that is defined in the diaphragm segment with an external environment via a port.

1 . A pressure vessel comprising:
 a housing unit having
 a housing segment that surrounds an axis, and that has axially-opposite end portions, and 
 a pair of housing-flange segments that extend respectively from said end portions of said housing segment in a radially outward direction with respect to the axis; 
   an elastic diaphragm unit having
 a substantially barrel-shaped diaphragm segment that is substantially disposed in said housing segment, that has axially-opposite end portions corresponding respectively in position to said end portions of said housing segment, that defines a water chamber therein, and that cooperates with said housing segment to define an air chamber therebetween, and 
 a pair of diaphragm-flange segments that extend respectively from said end portions of said diaphragm segment in the radially outward direction such that each of said housing-flange segments is substantially interposed between said housing segment and an adjacent one of said diaphragm-flange segments; and 
   a pair of water fitting units that are respectively disposed corresponding to said diaphragm-flange segments, each of said water fitting units having a fitting-flange segment that cooperates with an adjacent one of said housing-flange segments to clamp an adjacent one of said diaphragm-flange segments therebetween, and being formed with a water port for fluidly communicating said water chamber with an external environment.   
     
     
         2 . The pressure vessel as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of said end portions of said housing segment has a neck section, said housing-flange segments extending respectively from said neck sections of said end portions of said housing segment;   each of said end portions of said diaphragm segment has a neck section, said diaphragm-flange segments extending respectively from said neck sections of said end portions of said diaphragm segment; and   said fitting-flange segment of each of said water fitting units has a supporting portion extending toward said water chamber and cooperating with said neck section of the adjacent one of said end portions of said housing segment to clamp said neck section of the adjacent one of said end portions of said diaphragm segment therebetween.   
     
     
         3 . The pressure vessel as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising a pair of securing units connected to said housing-flange segments, and configured for securing said fitting-flange segments to said housing-flange segments, respectively. 
     
     
         4 . The pressure vessel as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein:
 each of said housing-flange segments has a distal end distal from said housing segment and extending beyond the adjacent one of said diaphragm-flange segments and the adjacent one of said fitting-flange segments in the radially outward direction with respect to the axis; and   each of said securing units has
 a first segment extending from said distal end of the respective one of said housing-flange segments in a direction along the axis and away from said housing segment, and having a distal end distal from said distal end of the respective one of said housing-flange segments, and 
 a second segment extending from said distal end of said first segment in a radially inward direction with respect to the axis, and cooperating with the respective one of said housing-flange segments to clamp the respective one of said diaphragm-flange segments therebetween. 
   
     
     
         5 . The pressure vessel as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein one of said first and second segments of one of said securing units surrounds the axis. 
     
     
         6 . The pressure vessel as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein each of said securing units is integrally connected to the respective one of said housing-flange segments. 
     
     
         7 . The pressure vessel as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a restricting pipe disposed in said water chamber, fluidly communicating said water ports of said water fitting units to each other, and formed with a plurality of holes for fluid communication through said holes 
     
     
         8 . The pressure vessel as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein:
 said fitting-flange segment of each of said water fitting units has a supporting portion that extends toward said water chamber, an extending portion that extends into said water chamber, and a shoulder portion that interconnects said supporting portion and said extending portion; and   said restricting pipe has opposite end segments sleeved fittingly onto said extending portions and abutting against said shoulder portions of said fitting-flange segments, respectively.   
     
     
         9 . The pressure vessel as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising an air valve disposed on said housing segment, and communicating fluidly said air chamber with the external environment. 
     
     
         10 . The pressure vessel as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said housing segment includes a first housing portion and a second housing portion welded to said first housing portion.